Railway truck



March 18, 1930.

` o. K. KJLsE'rH RAILWAY TRUCK Fi1ed,Dec. 19, 1928 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 amiral) srArEs OLE K. KJ'OLSETH, OF SCOTIA, .NEW YORK,'ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, I

PATENT OFFICE I A oonPoRA'rIoN vor NEW Yom! RAL'W'AY TRUCK v Application mea December 19, i928. serial No. 327,094.

My invention relates to railway trucks. An object of my invention is to provide an improved gravity centering mechanism associated with a locomotive or car, which is actuated by the weight supported on the truck to exert a force tending to resist lateral displacement of the truck with ,respect to the locomotive or car frame or the rigid truck thereof. This arrangement leads the rigid truck of the locomotive or car around a curve, thereby relieving ange pressures on the drivers,

and also returns the truck to a definite position with respect to the locomotive or car Whenever it is displaced therefrom due to swaying or nosing thereof. More particularly my improvement resides in providing a gravity centering mechanism, which is positively actuated, which maintains the parts in the desired relation, which is not subject to .rapid wearing of the parts, and which can be easily and cheaply constructed.

`Another object of my invention is to provide a gravity centering device of this character for a single axle truck which is arranged so that it does not interfere with ready removal of the axle from the truck frame.

A further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement for pivotally connecting the truck to the locomotive or car, which freely permits tilting of the truck transversely with respect to the carl due to any irregularities in the track, but restricts tilting of the truck longitudinally of the car.

Further objects and advantages of my in- -vention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification:-

In the drawing Fig. 1 is fragmentary plan view of a single axle guiding truck embodying my invention ,.Fig.` 2 is a section approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the truck axle being shown in elevation and partly brokenl away to more clearly illustrate the construction; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the rstructure shown in Fig. 1 partly broken away;

truck frame is supported. In order to pro-- vide for ready removal of the wheels and axle from the truck, the frame thereof is constructed of side portions 13 and 14 extending longitudinally of the axle 10 beyondy the Wheels and connected by integral portions 15 and 16 extending over the axle on opposite sides of the wheels, a pilot 14a of the usual construction being secured to the side portion 14. The frame is spring-borne on the axle 10 by a leaf-spring 17 resting intermediate the ends thereof on the journal box and having the ends connected to the side portions 13 and 14 by links 18 having spring seats 19 secured thereon for retaining coil springs 20 between the spring seats and coil spring pockets 21 formed in the ends of the side portions 13 and 14. The ends of the side portions 13 and 14 are extended to form opposed guides 22 and 23 which slidably engage the journal box 12, the guides being connected at their lower ends by a tie bar 24 bolted thereto.

It will be noted that in a truck of this construction that the wheels and axle 10 and 11 With the journal boxes 12 can be readily rey moved by suit-ably supporting the truck frame, removing` the tie bars 24 at both ends, and dropping thev wheels and axle below the truck frame. Although a portion of the gulding truck is broken away, this portion 'is of the same construction as that which is illustrated.

The truck is provided with a swinginglbolster 25 on which a portion of the Weig ported in any suitable manner.

the locomotive or car frame ma be supn this instance it is supported thereon by diagonal equalizers 26.resting on a bearing plate 27, which is rotatably seated in a cylindrical recess 28 formed in the bolster, to provide for .pivotal movement of the truck relative to the ,car frame. The swinging bolster 25 is maintively at 52.

Vside portion 14 and to the bolster.

In accordance w1th my invention the weight of the locomotive or car, whichis carried by the swinging bolster 25, is utilized .to exert a force tending to resist lateral displacement of the truck and when displaced, to return the truck to a central 'position laterally with respect to the rigid truck frame, by means of my improved gravity centering mechanism. As shown in Fig. 2, this mechanism comprises a plurality of sloping surfaces 29 carried by the bolster 25 and a plurality of sloping surfaces 30 carried by the side portions 14 of the truck frame, and I prefer to form these surfaces on plates 31 and 32 which are riveted to the bolster and to the truck frame respectivelv. The mechanism also includes rollers 33 which are arranged between the co-operating surfaces 29 and 30. The surfaces and the rollers 33 may be varied in form to give the most desirable lateral restraining force. By this construction when the truck frame is displaced laterally on either side of its central position with respect to the car frame, shown in the drawing, the rollers 33 move over the sloping,surfaces 29 and 30, so as to exert a force resisting the displacement of the truck. The resistingforce reduces nosing or swaying of the locomotiveor car, and decreases the wheel ange pressure exerted by the other trucks of the car in rounding a curve. In order to maintain the rollers 33 in the proper relation to the surfaces 29 and'30, when the truck frame is displaced laterally, so as to cause the bolster 25 to come to equilibrium in the center of the car frame, I connect the rolls ers 33 by tie bars 34 which are pivotally connected Vintermediate the ends thereof at 35 to a vertical link 36 extending through slots 37 and 37 formed in the bolster and the side portions 14 of the truck frame. The link 3G is connected to the side portion'14 of the truck frame and to the bolster 25 by links 38 which are pivotally connected at 38 to the link 36 and which are pivotally connected at 39 to the In this construction it will be observed that when the truck frame is moved laterally in either direction from its position centrally of the rigid truck frame as s hown in Fig. 2, the link-- age including links 36, 38 and tie bars 34 will positively maintain the rollers 33 in the cor-- rect relation to the surfaces 29 and 30, whichwill cause the Weight carried by the bolster 25 vto resist lateral displacement, or when displaced, to return the truck to a central position with respect to the car frame. l

In addition to the gravity centering mechanism which is arranged between the side portion 14 of the truck frame and the swinging bolster 25, I provide a gravity centering mech. anism of the same construction between the side portion 13 of the truck frame and the bolster 25, which for convenience is'designated by the same'reference characters as the above described construction, the centering devices being arranged equidistant from the axle 10, as shown-in Fig. 4, so as to symmetrically distribute the load on the truck frame,

and to provide for ready removal of the u Wheels and axle therefrom.

It is desirable to connect the guiding truck of the locomotive or car thereto by an arrangement which turns the truck relative to the rigid truck frame upon displacement of the guiding truck laterally y with respect thereto, so that the wheelswill remain substantially tangent to the truck roundingva curve. The truck is, therefore, connected to a transverse member 40 of the rigid truck frame by two converging links 41. In order to prevent these links restricting tilting of the truck transversely with respect to the rigid truck frame, which would cause binding and excessive wear at the connections of the links 41, in accordance with my-invention, I connect both ends of the links to the guiding frame at 42, as shown in Fig. 5, vand to the transverse member 40 of the rigid truckrame at 43, as shown in Fig. 3, by ball and socket joints. It will be understood, however, that any other suitable form of links providing a universal joint connection may be employed for this purpose. In connecting the single axle guiding truck to the rigid truck of the locomotive or car by links of this kind tilting of the truck longitudinally `transversely with respect to the rigid truck in the event'of any irregularity in the track, and the yoke 45 prevents tilting of the truck longitudinally of the locomotive or car.

My ixuprovedgravity centering device, and construction for connecting the guiding truck to the locomotive or car so as to turn the same upon lateral displacement of the are in this instance shown in connection with a guiding and a rigid truck of a locomotive or car, but -it will be apparent that these de# .5 vices may be employed in. any other suitable relation to the structure of the locomotive or car.

Modifications of the form of my invention 'which I have described will occur to those Y skilled in the art, so that'I desire my invenf tion n'ot to be limited to the particular arrangement set forth, and I intend in the appended claims `to lcover all modifications thereof which do not depart from the'spirit' and scope of my invention.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination with a locomotive or car having a frame and a truck movable laterally with respect thereto, a gravity centering mechanism comprising a movable member for supporting the weight'carried by said frame on said truck, and a linkage connected l to said truck and said frame for moving'said member upon displacement of said truck laterally in either direction from the center of said frame.

2. In combination, with a locomotive, or

car having a frame and a truck movablelaterally with respect thereto, a gravity centering mechanism' comprising a plate having a sloping surface between said frame and said truck, a movable member engaging said surface for supporting the weightcarried by said frame on said truck, and a linkage connected member relative to said sloping surface upon displacement of said truck laterally in either direction from the center of said frame.

y ,3. In combination with a locomotive or car having a frame and a truck movable laterally with respect thereto, la gravity centering mechanism comprising means having a plurality of sloping surfaces between said frame and said truck, a plurality of interconnected movable members engaging said surfaces for supporting the `weight carried 'bysaid frame`o'n said truck, and a linkage connected to said truck and said frame for moving said members relative to said surfaces upon displacement 4of said truck laterally in either direction from the center of said frame. 4. 'In combination with a locomotive orcar having a frame and a truck movable laterallywith respect thereto, a gravity centering mechanism comprising a of interconnected rollers arranged between" said bolster and said truckfor supporting the weight carried] 'by' -said -b0lster on said truck, and a linkage connected to said bolster Pand said truck for moving said rollers lpon displacement of vsaid truck laterally in either direction from the center of said frame.

5. In combination with a locomotive or car' 5 having a frame and' a truckmovable lateralto said truck and said frame for moving said bolster, a pluralityl ly with respect thereto, a gravity centering mechanism comprising abolster, means including a. plurality of sloping surfaces car-l riex by said bolster and said truck arranged in cooperative relation toeach other, a plurality of interconnected` rollers each being larranged between pairs of said cooperating l s urfaces for supporting the weight carried by said bolster on said truck, and a linkage connecting said bolster and said truck to said rollers for moving them relative to said surfaces upon dis lacement ofsaid truck-laterally in either dlrection fromjthe center of said frame. w i

-6.` In combination lwith a locomotive or car having a frame and a. truck movable lateral-` ly with respect thereto, a bolster, a gravity` centering mechanism including a plurality of sloping surfaces carried by said bolster and said truck, arranged in cooperative relation with each other, a plurality of rollers arranged between .pairs of said cooperating surfaces for supporting the weight carried by said bolster on said truck, means for connecting said rollerstogether, and a linkage including a vertical link connected intermediate the ends thereof to said"means connecting said rollers and having links connecting the opposite ends thereo-f to said truck ment of l-said truck laterally in either direction from the center of said frame.A

7. In combination -with Va locomotive or car having a'frame, a single axle truck movv100 ablej'laterally with respect to said frame, a bolster on said truck, a gravity centering mechanism for said truck including a plurality of sloping surfaces on said bolster and said truck and -being arranged on opposite sides of said axle, the surfaces on said bolster being in co erative relation with the surfaces on sai truck, a plurality of intercom nected rollersarrangedfbetween said cooper` ating surfaces on opposite'sides of the axle, no

Tand a linkage connecting each, ofvsaid interconnected rollers to said bolster and said truck for moving them relative to 'said' surfaces upon displacement 'of said truck laterally in either direction from the center 4of said frame. 115

' truck comprising-a frame having portionsv on o posite sides of said axle, a bolster on said truc and a gravity centering mechanism for supporting said bolster on said side portions including 'movable members arranged be tween them on opposite'sides of said' axle and la linkage 4connecting said members toAlsaid. 12.5.`

bolster and said truckfframe so as to permit -ready removal of said axle from saidframe.'

9@ In combination with4 av locomotive or A car having a frame, a singlefaxle trllk movable laterally with respect to vsaidframe, said ita versal joint connection with said truck for' movably connecting said truck to said frame,

` and means for preventing tilting of said 'truck longitudinally of said frame.

11. In combination with a locomotive or car having a frame, a single axle truck, means including two links each having a universal joint connection with said truck for movably connecting said truck to said frame, and means including a beam rigidly connected to said truck and slidably engaging a portion of said frame for preventing tilting of said truck longitudinally of said frame.

12. In combination with a locomotive or car having a frame, a-single axle truck, said frame having a transverse member comprising a channel, means including two links v(Il) each having a universal joint connection with said truck and said transverse member forv movably connecting said truck to said frame,

' and means including a beam rigidly connected to said truck and slidably engaging said channel for preventing tilting of said truck longitudinally of said frame.`

13. In coml)inatio"with a locomotive or car having a frame, 'a single axle truck, means including two converging links each having a universal joint connection with said truck for movably connecting said truck to said frame so that the truck is turned relative to lsaid frame upon Alateral niovement with respect thereto, and means for preventing tilting of said truck longitudinally Vof said frame.

- 14. In combination with a locomotive orl car having a frame, a single axle truck, means including two converging links each having a universal joint connection with said truck for movably connecting said truck to said frame so that the truck is turned relative to said frame upon lateral movement with respect thereto, and means including a beam rigidly connected to said truck and slidably engaging va portion of said frame connection with said truck and said member for movably connecting said truck to said frame so that the truck is turned relative to said frame upon lateral movement with respect thereto, and means includin a beam rigidly connected to said truck an slidably engaging said channel for preventing tilting of said truck longitudinally of said frame.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of December, 1928.

OLE K. KJoLsETH.

for preventing tiltingof said truck longif tudinally of said frame.

15. In .combination with aTlocomotive or car having a frame, said frame having a\ transverse jmember comprising a channel, means mcludmg two hnks divergrng from said member'- each having a universal joint y 

